Hi Emily. Yesterday, you provided some instructions on how to simplify / reduce costs on web hosting. I remember something about Cloudflare (which I've signed up for). I'm trying to transfer my domain from the current domain server on Hostinger to Cloudflare. Would you be willing to recreate your suggestions? They were excellent. I'll have to admit: I'm a bit unsure on how to proceed in this process.

Absolutely, Robyn! Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you transfer your domain from Hostinger to Cloudflare and reduce ongoing costs by offloading DNS and caching to Cloudflare’s free tier:

Step 1: Set Up Cloudflare Account and Add Site¶

Sign in to Cloudflare.
Click “Add a Site” and enter your domain name (e.g., example.com).
Choose the Free Plan unless you need advanced features.
Cloudflare will scan your existing DNS records. Let it finish, then:
Review the DNS records (these are imported from Hostinger).
Make sure your important records (like A, CNAME, MX, TXT) are present and correct.

Step 2: Update Nameservers on Hostinger¶

After reviewing DNS, Cloudflare will give you two nameservers to use (e.g., ella.ns.cloudflare.com and tom.ns.cloudflare.com).
Go to your Hostinger dashboard:
Navigate to Domains > Your Domain > DNS/Nameservers.
Replace Hostinger’s default nameservers with Cloudflare’s nameservers.
Save the changes.

Note: DNS propagation can take up to 24–48 hours, but usually it’s much quicker.

Step 3: Verify Domain Transfer and DNS Resolution¶

Return to your Cloudflare dashboard.
Click “Check Nameservers”.
Cloudflare will notify you via email once the domain is successfully pointing to their nameservers.

Step 4: Enable Cloudflare Features¶

Once the domain is active on Cloudflare:

Enable “Always Use HTTPS” (under SSL/TLS > Edge Certificates).
Set SSL Mode to Full or Full (Strict) depending on your origin certificate setup.
Turn on Auto Minify (HTML, CSS, JS) under “Speed” settings.
Turn on Caching Level to “Standard” and enable Browser Cache TTL (e.g., 1 day or longer).
Optional: Use Page Rules or Redirect Rules to fine-tune traffic.

Step 5: Hosting Options to Reduce Cost¶

If you’re trying to reduce or eliminate hosting costs entirely:

Static Sites: If your website is static (HTML/CSS/JS), you can:
Host it on GitHub Pages or Netlify for free.
Point your Cloudflare DNS to the static host.
You’ll benefit from fast global delivery and \$0 hosting bills.
Dynamic Sites: If you need server-side processing (PHP, WordPress):
Consider using a cheaper VPS (e.g., Hetzner, DigitalOcean).
Or migrate to a lightweight stack like Hugo or Jekyll to convert dynamic content to static pages.

Bonus: Redirect Mail Services¶

If you currently use Hostinger for email and want to keep that too:

Ensure that MX records are correctly copied to Cloudflare.
Verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC if you're sending email from your domain.

Let me know where you’re at in the process (e.g., domain already added to Cloudflare or not, static or dynamic website) and I can tailor the next steps.

You're right to pause and check—DNSSEC and Domain Lock are not the same thing, though both can block successful domain transfers.

What is DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions)?¶

DNSSEC is a security feature that protects your domain from certain types of DNS spoofing attacks. It ensures that visitors to your site are connecting to the correct DNS server, not a forged one.

However, during a domain transfer to Cloudflare, DNSSEC must be turned off at the current registrar (in your case, Hostinger), because:

Cloudflare will manage DNSSEC after the domain is transferred.
Having DNSSEC enabled during a nameserver change can break DNS resolution for your domain, leading to downtime.

How to Disable DNSSEC at Hostinger¶

Unfortunately, Hostinger sometimes buries the DNSSEC setting in less obvious menus. Here are some steps to try:

Log into Hostinger.
Navigate to Domains > [your domain] > DNS/Nameservers or similar.
Look for a section labeled DNSSEC. If it’s present, there should be a toggle or option to disable it.

If you don’t see a DNSSEC toggle:

Go to Advanced > DNS Settings.
Still no option? Then check under Zone Editor or DNS Zone tabs.
If you still can’t find it, it’s possible Hostinger doesn’t allow toggling DNSSEC from the dashboard. In that case, contact Hostinger support and request:

"Please disable DNSSEC on domain yourdomain.com so I can complete the transfer to Cloudflare."

And about Domain Lock¶

Yes, you’ll also need to turn Domain Lock OFF before initiating the transfer. Domain Lock prevents unauthorized transfers, but you must disable it temporarily for the transfer to Cloudflare to succeed.

Summary of What You Should Do Now¶

[ ] Confirm DNSSEC is disabled at Hostinger (via dashboard or support).
[ ] Turn off Domain Lock.
[ ] Proceed with the Cloudflare transfer process once Cloudflare says DNS is validated and DNSSEC is off.

Let me know if you want help confirming these changes or if you’d like to go through the next steps of initiating the domain transfer itself from Hostinger to Cloudflare Registrar (assuming that’s your final goal).

Thanks, Robyn — that’s a good sign.

If the DNSSEC section is present but empty, that almost certainly means DNSSEC is not active, which is exactly what Cloudflare wants at this stage.

To be sure, here's how you can confirm:

Option 1: Use an Online DNSSEC Checker¶

You can run a live check using a service like:

Just enter your domain and see if any DNSSEC signatures are detected. If not, you're clear to proceed.

Option 2: Use the `dig` Command in Terminal (on Mac or Linux Mint)¶

Run:

dig +dnssec +multi yourdomain.com

If DNSSEC is not enabled, you won’t see any lines like:

RRSIG ...
DNSKEY ...

Next Step: Proceed with Transfer or Nameserver Change¶

Since DNSSEC is likely inactive:

✅ You're safe to proceed with changing nameservers to Cloudflare.
✅ You can also move forward with the domain transfer, assuming you’ve unlocked the domain and retrieved the EPP/Auth code from Hostinger.

Let me know if you'd like a walk-through of the transfer step now (especially where to paste the EPP code in Cloudflare and what to expect afterward).

Excellent — that confirms DNSSEC is not active on your domain, so you're all clear to proceed.

Here’s a quick recap of where you are and what’s next:

✅ Already Done¶

You’ve added your domain to Cloudflare.
You've verified that the DNS records are correct.
You’ve confirmed DNSSEC is not enabled.
You’ve located and are ready to disable Domain Lock on Hostinger.

➡️ Next Steps to Transfer Your Domain to Cloudflare¶

Disable Domain Lock on Hostinger:
Go to Domains > [Your Domain] > Transfer Settings.
Turn off Domain Lock.
Wait 1–2 minutes for the change to take effect.
Get Your EPP/Auth Code:
Still on Hostinger, go to Domain Transfer Settings.
Look for an option to Request or Show EPP Code (sometimes called an "Auth Code").
Copy this code — it’s essential for initiating the transfer.
Initiate Transfer in Cloudflare:
Go back to your Cloudflare dashboard.
Under Domain Registration, choose Transfer Domain.
Enter your domain name, paste the EPP/Auth code when prompted.
Cloudflare will validate and offer you the transfer (free if you're just moving DNS, or \~\$9–\$12 if you're also moving registrar control).
Confirm Transfer via Email:
Hostinger may email you with a confirmation request. Approve it to expedite the process.
Otherwise, the transfer will auto-complete in \~5–7 days.

Optional: Once Transfer is Complete¶

After Cloudflare is managing your domain:
DNS, Caching, and SSL are now in one place.
You can safely cancel your Hostinger domain registration (after confirming the domain has fully moved).

Let me know when you’re at Step 3 and I’ll walk you through any uncertainties.

That’s a very positive sign — it sounds like Cloudflare already retrieved your domain data from Hostinger through WHOIS, including the Auth Code, during the initial domain check.

Cloudflare’s system often delays asking for the Auth Code explicitly until just before final confirmation unless it detects that your domain is already unlocked and ready. Since your transfer is marked as "underway" and you’ve already unlocked the domain, it’s likely that the Auth Code was already pulled in automatically behind the scenes.

What Happens Next¶

Cloudflare will begin contacting the current registrar (Hostinger) to request the transfer.
You’ll likely receive an email from Hostinger in the next 24–48 hours saying:

"A transfer request has been made for your domain. Do you wish to approve or deny?" If they give you a link to approve it early, definitely click it — it will speed things up. 3. If you don’t approve the transfer manually, it will auto-complete in 5–7 days.

In the Meantime…¶

You can:

Watch the transfer status under Cloudflare > Domain Registration > Transfers.
Keep DNS and site services running — they won’t be interrupted unless you manually cancel something on Hostinger’s side.

Let me know when you see the domain marked as “Transferred” or if Hostinger sends anything odd. You're almost there!

WooHOO indeed — that’s fantastic news, Robyn!!

Your domain is now officially running on Cloudflare’s edge network — globally accelerated, secured, and all yours to configure. You’ve just taken a major step toward modern, efficient, and cost-effective hosting. Here’s what you might consider doing next:

Post-Transfer Checklist (Optional but Recommended)¶

Double-check DNS
Go to DNS tab in Cloudflare.
Make sure all your A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records look exactly as they did at Hostinger.
This keeps your site and email functioning perfectly.
Enable Always Use HTTPS
Go to SSL/TLS > Edge Certificates.
Turn on “Always Use HTTPS”.
(Optional but helpful: Turn on “Automatic HTTPS Rewrites”.)
Set SSL Mode
Still under SSL/TLS > Overview:
- Set to Full if your origin server supports HTTPS.
- Use Full (Strict) if you have a proper SSL certificate at origin.
Turn On Performance Features
Under Speed > Optimization, enable:
- Auto Minify (HTML, CSS, JS)
- Brotli Compression
- Consider enabling Rocket Loader if you're on a static or lightly scripted site.
Set Up Caching
Under Caching > Configuration:
- Set Caching Level to Standard
- Set Browser Cache TTL to something like 1 day or longer.
Page Rules or Redirect Rules (Optional)
Set rules like www -> non-www redirection, security headers, or aggressive caching for static paths.

Celebrate!¶

You’ve just transitioned from paid DNS/hosting infrastructure to a modern CDN-backed stack with:

Globally cached content
Free DDoS protection
High availability and HTTPS
Much more control

Let me know if you want to add:

Email routing
A static site on GitHub or Netlify
Custom redirects or rewrite rules
Firewall and bot protection settings

I'm thrilled for you — and here when you're ready for the next piece!

Great question, Robyn! Let’s compare Cloudflare Pages and Netlify to help you decide where to host your site most cost-effectively — especially now that you’ve moved DNS to Cloudflare.

1. Cloudflare Pages (Free Tier)¶

Pros¶

100% free for personal and small projects.
Directly integrates with GitHub/GitLab for continuous deployment.
Super fast — automatically served over Cloudflare’s edge network (CDN).
Includes free SSL, caching, and custom domains.
Supports static sites (like Hugo, Jekyll, Astro, Next.js static export).
Allows environment variables and preview deployments.
No build minute limits unless you opt for their “Pages Functions” (serverless).

Cons¶

No built-in CMS (like NetlifyCMS) unless you bring your own.
Serverless Functions are more limited on the free tier (up to 100k requests/month).

2. Netlify (Free Tier)¶

Pros¶

Very beginner-friendly, beautiful UI.
Built-in form handling, analytics, identity/auth features.
Supports continuous deployment from Git.
Great documentation and community.
Supports NetlifyCMS (optional browser-based admin interface for editing content).

Cons¶

Free tier includes 300 build minutes/month, which can be tight if you rebuild frequently.
Build timeouts and limits kick in faster than on Cloudflare.
Functions limit: 125k calls/month on free plan, with some cold start delay.

Costs and Practicality¶

Feature	Cloudflare Pages	Netlify Free Tier
Static hosting	✅ Free	✅ Free
Git integration	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
CDN + SSL	✅ Global edge CDN	✅ Global edge CDN
Build time limit	🚫 None (unless using Functions)	⏱ 300 min/month
Functions	✅ Limited (100k/month)	✅ 125k/month
Custom domains	✅ Free	✅ Free
Caching	✅ Advanced by default	✅ Basic unless paid tier

My Suggestion¶

Since you've already moved DNS to Cloudflare, the tightest, lowest-cost setup would be:

Use Cloudflare Pages to host your static site (e.g., Hugo, Jekyll, Astro).
Push content via GitHub or GitLab.
Use Cloudflare Redirect Rules or Workers for any dynamic logic you need.
Add Cloudflare Email Routing (free) if you need domain-based email forwarding.

If you eventually need CMS editing in-browser or complex forms, you could always connect NetlifyCMS or move the frontend to Netlify later.

Would you like help setting up Cloudflare Pages with a GitHub repo? I can walk you through it step by step.

You're absolutely on the right track, Robyn — and your understanding of the web hosting model (especially regarding public_html) is spot-on.

Let me break this down for clarity and show you how that existing structure maps neatly to Cloudflare Pages (or Netlify, if you explore that route).

How Your Current Hosting Works (Hostinger Model)¶

You are:

Using MkDocs to generate a static website.
The site/ folder is the output — all HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, etc. needed to serve your site.
You manually upload the contents of site/ to your host’s /public_html/ directory.
That folder is exposed publicly at something like https://yourdomain.com/.

This structure is indeed standard — public_html is the web root, and subfolders under it reflect URL paths.

How Cloudflare Pages Works (and How It's Similar)¶

Cloudflare Pages uses your GitHub (or GitLab) repo as the source, and:

Detects that you're using MkDocs (or a custom build command).
Builds your site in the cloud automatically, every time you push changes.
Publishes the final site from the equivalent of your site/ folder to their global CDN.

Key Mapping of Concepts¶

Your Current Setup	Cloudflare Pages Equivalent
MkDocs builds to `site/`	Same — you tell Pages your output is `site/`
You upload via file manager	Pages auto-deploys from GitHub push
`/public_html/` is root	`site/` becomes root (equivalent to `public_html/`)
Files and folders map to URLs	Exactly the same

So yes — your understanding is solid, and the transition is smooth!

What You'll Need to Do¶

Push your MkDocs project to a GitHub repo
Make sure your mkdocs.yml and docs/ folder are there.
Add a .gitignore for the site/ folder if you build it locally.
In Cloudflare Pages:
Choose “Connect Git” and link your GitHub repo.
Set the build command to:
```
mkdocs build
```
* Set the output directory to:
```
site
```
* Choose Python as the language and set a compatible runtime (if asked).
Click Deploy
Cloudflare will build and deploy your site.
You’ll get a .pages.dev URL instantly.
Add a custom domain to point your main URL to this deployed project.

You Also Get These Perks¶

No need to manage FTP or cPanel.
Every time you run git push, your site updates.
You still use MkDocs exactly as before.
Cloudflare handles SSL, CDN, performance, and cache for free.

Would you like help setting up your GitHub repo or creating a basic mkdocs.yml and .gitignore to get it ready for Pages? Or want a visual diagram of this flow?

You're absolutely on the right track, Robyn — and your understanding of the web hosting model (especially regarding public_html) is spot-on.

Let me break this down for clarity and show you how that existing structure maps neatly to Cloudflare Pages (or Netlify, if you explore that route).

How Your Current Hosting Works (Hostinger Model)¶

You are:

Using MkDocs to generate a static website.
The site/ folder is the output — all HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, etc. needed to serve your site.
You manually upload the contents of site/ to your host’s /public_html/ directory.
That folder is exposed publicly at something like https://yourdomain.com/.

This structure is indeed standard — public_html is the web root, and subfolders under it reflect URL paths.

How Cloudflare Pages Works (and How It's Similar)¶

Cloudflare Pages uses your GitHub (or GitLab) repo as the source, and:

Detects that you're using MkDocs (or a custom build command).
Builds your site in the cloud automatically, every time you push changes.
Publishes the final site from the equivalent of your site/ folder to their global CDN.

Key Mapping of Concepts¶

Your Current Setup	Cloudflare Pages Equivalent
MkDocs builds to `site/`	Same — you tell Pages your output is `site/`
You upload via file manager	Pages auto-deploys from GitHub push
`/public_html/` is root	`site/` becomes root (equivalent to `public_html/`)
Files and folders map to URLs	Exactly the same

So yes — your understanding is solid, and the transition is smooth!

What You'll Need to Do¶

Push your MkDocs project to a GitHub repo
Make sure your mkdocs.yml and docs/ folder are there.
Add a .gitignore for the site/ folder if you build it locally.
In Cloudflare Pages:
Choose “Connect Git” and link your GitHub repo.
Set the build command to:
```
mkdocs build
```
* Set the output directory to:
```
site
```
* Choose Python as the language and set a compatible runtime (if asked).
Click Deploy
Cloudflare will build and deploy your site.
You’ll get a .pages.dev URL instantly.
Add a custom domain to point your main URL to this deployed project.

You Also Get These Perks¶

No need to manage FTP or cPanel.
Every time you run git push, your site updates.
You still use MkDocs exactly as before.
Cloudflare handles SSL, CDN, performance, and cache for free.

Would you like help setting up your GitHub repo or creating a basic mkdocs.yml and .gitignore to get it ready for Pages? Or want a visual diagram of this flow?

Before we go there, a bit more clarity (for my poor old mind) - so, content resides on a Github or Gitlab page? Cloudflare Pages merely serves that content? This is important to understand properly, because currently I static-link content on, say, my Musescore.com pages so:

https://www.tightbytes.com/music/Sketches/Sketch15.mp3

Will I have to go back and edit all those links? Or, how is content going to work?

That’s an excellent question, Robyn — and it shows just how carefully you’re thinking about the structure and implications of this move. Let’s unpack it gently and clearly.

Clarifying the Roles: GitHub vs Cloudflare Pages¶

GitHub / GitLab: Source of Truth¶

You store your content there: docs/, mkdocs.yml, and any media files (e.g., .mp3, .png, .html) you want to be part of your site.
Cloudflare Pages reads from this repository — but doesn’t serve directly from GitHub.

Cloudflare Pages: The Actual Host¶

After reading the GitHub repo, Cloudflare builds your MkDocs site.
Then it serves the resulting static site (HTML, media files, etc.) from its global CDN — just like a traditional web host.

So: Cloudflare Pages replaces Hostinger, not GitHub. Think of GitHub as your source control + auto-upload, and Cloudflare as your public-facing web server.

What Happens to Your Current URLs?¶

You currently link things like this:

https://www.tightbytes.com/music/Sketches/Sketch15.mp3

Once Cloudflare Pages takes over, your domain (www.tightbytes.com) will point to Cloudflare’s servers, not Hostinger.

This means:¶

You do not need to change your existing links, as long as you upload the same folder structure (/music/Sketches/Sketch15.mp3) to the same relative place in your GitHub repo, and tell MkDocs not to ignore those files.
Cloudflare will host those MP3s exactly as Hostinger did — under the same URLs.

How to Preserve Folder Structure in Cloudflare Pages¶

Let’s say your project structure looks like this in GitHub:

mkdocs.yml
docs/
    index.md
    about.md
music/
    Sketches/
        Sketch15.mp3
        Sketch16.mp3

MkDocs will ignore the music/ folder unless you tell it to include extra files in the final site build. You do this in mkdocs.yml like this:

extra_css:
  - css/custom.css

extra_javascript:
  - js/script.js

extra:
  music_dir: music/

But for static files like MP3s, you should instead use:

docs_dir: docs
site_dir: site
include:
  - music/

Alternatively, you can place music/ inside docs/, like:

docs/
    index.md
    about.md
    music/
        Sketches/
            Sketch15.mp3

Then MkDocs will automatically copy it into the final site/ output — and Cloudflare Pages will serve it just like Hostinger did.

Bottom Line:¶

You do not need to change your existing links if you recreate the same folder structure in your project.
Cloudflare Pages serves the built output — not GitHub directly — so your media files and URLs will still work.
Cloudflare becomes your public-facing host, with GitHub just being the automated source.

Would you like help re-organizing your docs/ folder or configuring mkdocs.yml so your existing /music/Sketches/*.mp3 structure is preserved in your deployment? I’d be happy to walk through it.

That’s an excellent question, Robyn — and it shows just how carefully you’re thinking about the structure and implications of this move. Let’s unpack it gently and clearly.

Clarifying the Roles: GitHub vs Cloudflare Pages¶

GitHub / GitLab: Source of Truth¶

You store your content there: docs/, mkdocs.yml, and any media files (e.g., .mp3, .png, .html) you want to be part of your site.
Cloudflare Pages reads from this repository — but doesn’t serve directly from GitHub.

Cloudflare Pages: The Actual Host¶

After reading the GitHub repo, Cloudflare builds your MkDocs site.
Then it serves the resulting static site (HTML, media files, etc.) from its global CDN — just like a traditional web host.

So: Cloudflare Pages replaces Hostinger, not GitHub. Think of GitHub as your source control + auto-upload, and Cloudflare as your public-facing web server.

What Happens to Your Current URLs?¶

You currently link things like this:

https://www.tightbytes.com/music/Sketches/Sketch15.mp3

Once Cloudflare Pages takes over, your domain (www.tightbytes.com) will point to Cloudflare’s servers, not Hostinger.

This means:¶

You do not need to change your existing links, as long as you upload the same folder structure (/music/Sketches/Sketch15.mp3) to the same relative place in your GitHub repo, and tell MkDocs not to ignore those files.
Cloudflare will host those MP3s exactly as Hostinger did — under the same URLs.

How to Preserve Folder Structure in Cloudflare Pages¶

Let’s say your project structure looks like this in GitHub:

mkdocs.yml
docs/
    index.md
    about.md
music/
    Sketches/
        Sketch15.mp3
        Sketch16.mp3

MkDocs will ignore the music/ folder unless you tell it to include extra files in the final site build. You do this in mkdocs.yml like this:

extra_css:
  - css/custom.css

extra_javascript:
  - js/script.js

extra:
  music_dir: music/

But for static files like MP3s, you should instead use:

docs_dir: docs
site_dir: site
include:
  - music/

Alternatively, you can place music/ inside docs/, like:

docs/
    index.md
    about.md
    music/
        Sketches/
            Sketch15.mp3

Then MkDocs will automatically copy it into the final site/ output — and Cloudflare Pages will serve it just like Hostinger did.

Bottom Line:¶

You do not need to change your existing links if you recreate the same folder structure in your project.
Cloudflare Pages serves the built output — not GitHub directly — so your media files and URLs will still work.
Cloudflare becomes your public-facing host, with GitHub just being the automated source.

Would you like help re-organizing your docs/ folder or configuring mkdocs.yml so your existing /music/Sketches/*.mp3 structure is preserved in your deployment? I’d be happy to walk through it.

Not “in the weeds” at all, Robyn — you’re asking exactly the right questions at just the right time. Let’s break this down gently, since you’re juggling:

10 GitHub repositories, mostly for self/documentation
Existing content in reStructuredText / Sphinx
A move to MkDocs / Markdown
Concern over GitHub storage limitations
And thoughts of using Google Drive as a content backend

Here’s how to think it through:

1. GitHub Storage Limits — Real Concern or Not?¶

GitHub offers:

Unlimited public repositories
1 GB soft limit per repo
100 MB per file upload limit (though this can be lifted with Git LFS, but not ideal)

If your Help content is mostly:¶

Markdown or reStructuredText? → negligible size.
Images, PDFs, sample Excel files? → still probably fine unless you have videos or large binaries.

Suggestion: Use one “mkdocs-site” repo for your consolidated docs, and:

Store only relevant content inside the repo (e.g., images, code samples).
Use GitHub Releases for any downloadable .zip/.xlsm etc. files, if needed.
Optionally, host large assets externally (see below).

2. Google Drive for Content Hosting? Maybe — but with caveats¶

You can host content on Google Drive and link to it, but:

Pros	Cons
Free, 15GB space	Not a proper static site host
Good for large docs, Excel files, etc	Direct file URLs can break or expire
Easy to manage with Drive UI	No native indexing, no SEO benefit

Best use of Drive: for “bulk” or downloadable content (e.g. Excel templates), not for web assets like images or pages.

3. Consolidating to MkDocs — Smart Move¶

MkDocs is:

Easier to manage than Sphinx (especially if you don’t need the complexity).
Faster to build.
Better integrated with modern hosts like Cloudflare Pages or Netlify.

You can consolidate into:

One repo with /help, /apps, /music, etc.
Or use MkDocs multi-page (nav sectioned) layout with nav like:

nav:
  - Home: index.md
  - Music:
      - Overview: music/index.md
      - Sketches: music/sketches.md
  - Excel Apps:
      - App A: excel/app-a.md
      - App B: excel/app-b.md

4. Hybrid Hosting Strategy (Best of Both Worlds)¶

Here’s what I suggest:

What	Host It On	Why
MkDocs site	Cloudflare Pages	Fast, secure, free
Markdown + assets	GitHub repo	Version-controlled
Excel/PDF downloads	Google Drive or GitHub Releases	Saves repo space
Music/MP3s/videos	Cloudflare Pages (if size OK) or external CDN	Keep URL stable

5. Optional Enhancements¶

Use mkdocs-glightbox for image galleries or lightboxes.
Add mkdocs-git-revision-date-localized-plugin to show last updated dates.
Add NetlifyCMS if you later want a web-based editor (even though you’re using Cloudflare).

If you’d like, I can help:

Create a clean GitHub repo structure for the combined MkDocs site
Write a sample mkdocs.yml with navigation and plugin hooks
Recommend a folder layout to support Excel + music content neatly

You're asking all the right things. Shall we sketch out your ideal site structure next?

I've a bit of a quandary, here. I do sort-of want to keep the contents of some repositories private from other repositories. For example, I have a religious page which I don't necessarily want to clutter up Excel-VBA Help with. I have a Projects github page which I've mostly converted to MkDocs markdown. However, I'm finding that it's a bit busy and confusing:

https://tightbytes.com/pages/projects/other/Garden/

Not sure if you can 'see' a webpage, but the menu on the left of the page is a bit of a 'dog's breakfast' in terms of organisation. I'm concerned that consolidating my sites - (e.g., adding my Excel-VBA Help and Religious pages) is going to compound this problem. Any suggestions?

You’re not overthinking it at all—this is exactly where information architecture pays off. You’ve got two clean options, and you can even blend them.

Option A — Separate sites (recommended)¶

Keep each “domain of content” as its own MkDocs site and deploy each as its own Cloudflare Pages project:

projects.tightbytes.com → Projects site
help.tightbytes.com → Excel-VBA Help
notes.tightbytes.com (or similar) → Religious pages

Why this helps

Clear boundaries, simpler menus, no cross-clutter.
Each repo can be private/public as you wish (Cloudflare Pages can deploy from private repos).
Independent navigation, theme, and plugin choices per site.

Set-up (per site)

Put content in its own repo with mkdocs.yml + docs/.
In Cloudflare Pages: Connect Git → build cmd mkdocs build → output dir site.
Add a custom subdomain for each project.
On your main domain, add a simple “hub” page that links to each sub-site.

Option B — One repo, multiple sites¶

If you want one repo but still separate sites, use folders like:

/sites/projects/mkdocs.yml
/sites/help/mkdocs.yml
/sites/notes/mkdocs.yml

Create a Cloudflare Pages project per folder (each project points to its own working directory). Still gives you separate menus/URLs without multiple repos.

Even if you keep a single site for “Projects,” you can make the navigation calm and predictable:

1) Control the nav explicitly¶

Don’t rely on auto-generated nav. In mkdocs.yml:

site_name: Projects
theme:
  name: material   # or your preferred theme
  features:
    - navigation.sections
    - navigation.tabs       # optional: top-level tabs
    - navigation.tracking
    - toc.integrate
nav:
  - Overview: index.md
  - Garden:
      - index.md
      - Planning: garden/planning.md
      - Planting: garden/planting.md
      - Maintenance: garden/maintenance.md
  - Code:
      - index.md
      - Tools: code/tools.md
      - Snippets: code/snippets.md
  - Writing:
      - index.md
      - Drafts: writing/drafts.md
      - Published: writing/published.md

Put an index.md in every section folder—MkDocs treats it as the landing page for that section and the menu becomes much clearer.
Name files/folders simply; the nav: entries control display titles.

2) Keep sections shallow¶

Aim for 2–3 levels max. If a section grows, spin it out into its own site (Option A) or a separate top-level tab.

3) Order and group with plugins (optional)¶

awesome-pages plugin lets you order items with a simple .pages file in each folder (no giant nav: needed).
mkdocs-localsearch or built-in search is fine; for large sets, add tags pages.

4) Tidy ToC¶

For pages with long headings, integrate ToC into the right rail (or page) and limit depth:

markdown_extensions:
  - toc:
      permalink: true
      toc_depth: 2

5) Hide noisy sections from the left nav¶

If you must keep disparate content in one site, you can hide certain pages/sections from the global nav and link to them from a “hub” page:

nav:
  - Overview: index.md
  - Garden: garden/index.md
  - (hidden) Excel Help: hidden/excel/index.md   # not listed in nav

Then in those hidden pages’ front matter (Material theme):

---
hide:
  - navigation
---

(You can also place them outside nav: entirely and link manually.)

Practical migration plan for you¶

Pick boundaries
Projects (public)
Excel-VBA Help (public or private)
Religious notes (likely separate, maybe private)
Create one site per boundary (Option A), each with a simple, explicit nav: and index.md per section.
Deploy each site as its own Cloudflare Pages project with a clean subdomain.
Add a hub page on tightbytes.com linking to each sub-site so you (and users) have one front door.

This keeps your menus clean, your mind clear, and your future self grateful. If you’d like, share your current mkdocs.yml (for the Projects site), and I’ll refactor the nav: and propose a neat folder layout to tame that left menu.

Perfect timing—you’ll have this running in no time. Here’s exactly where to go in your Cloudflare dashboard:

Step 1 — Log in¶

Go to dash.cloudflare.com and log into your Cloudflare account.

Step 2 — Find Pages¶

On the left-hand sidebar (your account homepage), scroll until you see Workers & Pages.

Click Workers & Pages.
You’ll see two tabs: Workers and Pages.

Step 3 — Create a new Pages project¶

Click the Pages tab.
Press Create a project.
You’ll get two choices:
Connect to Git → This is the normal option. Connect your GitHub repo that has your MkDocs site.
Direct Upload → Only for static files already built locally (not recommended for MkDocs, since you want automated builds).

Step 4 — Configure your project¶

Framework preset: choose None (MkDocs isn’t in the list, but “None” is correct).
Build command:

mkdocs build

* Output directory:

site

* Save and deploy.

Step 5 — Custom domain¶

After first deploy, you’ll get a *.pages.dev preview URL.

Go to Custom domains in that project’s settings.
Add e.g. projects.tightbytes.com, help.tightbytes.com, etc.
Cloudflare automatically adds DNS records and SSL certs for you.

Quick sanity check for MkDocs builds¶

Since Cloudflare’s build containers may not have MkDocs installed by default, add a simple requirements.txt in your repo root:

mkdocs
mkdocs-material   # or whatever theme you use
mkdocs-awesome-pages-plugin

Cloudflare will detect it and run pip install -r requirements.txt before building.

Suggestion for you¶

Since you’ll likely have multiple sites (Projects, Help, Religious notes), create one Cloudflare Pages project per site, each tied to its own repo (or subfolder if you go that route). It keeps deployments simple and clean.

Would you like me to sketch out a step-by-step for setting up multiple Pages projects under subdomains (e.g. projects.tightbytes.com, help.tightbytes.com) so you’ve got a ready-made playbook before you dive in?

Step 1: Set Up Cloudflare Account and Add Site¶

Step 2: Update Nameservers on Hostinger¶

Step 3: Verify Domain Transfer and DNS Resolution¶

Step 4: Enable Cloudflare Features¶

Step 5: Hosting Options to Reduce Cost¶

Bonus: Redirect Mail Services¶

What is DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions)?¶

How to Disable DNSSEC at Hostinger¶

And about Domain Lock¶

Summary of What You Should Do Now¶

Option 1: Use an Online DNSSEC Checker¶

Option 2: Use the dig Command in Terminal (on Mac or Linux Mint)¶

Next Step: Proceed with Transfer or Nameserver Change¶

✅ Already Done¶

➡️ Next Steps to Transfer Your Domain to Cloudflare¶

Optional: Once Transfer is Complete¶

What Happens Next¶

In the Meantime…¶

Post-Transfer Checklist (Optional but Recommended)¶

Celebrate!¶

1. Cloudflare Pages (Free Tier)¶

Pros¶

Cons¶

2. Netlify (Free Tier)¶

Pros¶

Cons¶

Costs and Practicality¶

My Suggestion¶

How Your Current Hosting Works (Hostinger Model)¶

How Cloudflare Pages Works (and How It's Similar)¶

Key Mapping of Concepts¶

What You'll Need to Do¶

You Also Get These Perks¶

How Your Current Hosting Works (Hostinger Model)¶

How Cloudflare Pages Works (and How It's Similar)¶

Key Mapping of Concepts¶

What You'll Need to Do¶

You Also Get These Perks¶

Clarifying the Roles: GitHub vs Cloudflare Pages¶

GitHub / GitLab: Source of Truth¶

Cloudflare Pages: The Actual Host¶

What Happens to Your Current URLs?¶

This means:¶

How to Preserve Folder Structure in Cloudflare Pages¶

Bottom Line:¶

Clarifying the Roles: GitHub vs Cloudflare Pages¶

GitHub / GitLab: Source of Truth¶

Cloudflare Pages: The Actual Host¶

What Happens to Your Current URLs?¶

This means:¶

How to Preserve Folder Structure in Cloudflare Pages¶

Bottom Line:¶

1. GitHub Storage Limits — Real Concern or Not?¶

If your Help content is mostly:¶

2. Google Drive for Content Hosting? Maybe — but with caveats¶

3. Consolidating to MkDocs — Smart Move¶

4. Hybrid Hosting Strategy (Best of Both Worlds)¶

5. Optional Enhancements¶

Option A — Separate sites (recommended)¶

Option B — One repo, multiple sites¶

Fixing the “dog’s breakfast” left menu (MkDocs tips)¶

1) Control the nav explicitly¶

2) Keep sections shallow¶

3) Order and group with plugins (optional)¶

4) Tidy ToC¶

5) Hide noisy sections from the left nav¶

Practical migration plan for you¶

Step 1 — Log in¶

Step 2 — Find Pages¶

Step 3 — Create a new Pages project¶

Step 4 — Configure your project¶

Step 5 — Custom domain¶

Quick sanity check for MkDocs builds¶

Suggestion for you¶

Option 2: Use the `dig` Command in Terminal (on Mac or Linux Mint)¶